High School: French High School
Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies
Year of Graduation: 2002
Professional Activity: Professor / Researcher, ORT University
Interview published in June 2010.
In 1996, Virginia began pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies at ORT University. In 1999, she worked at the Mercosur Secretariat. During 2002 and 2003, she completed a Master’s degree in International Relations with a focus on European Studies at the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) in Lisbon, Portugal. She currently teaches the course “The European Union” and the “Written Expression Workshop,” and conducts research in her field of specialization—international and European studies—as well as in the social sciences in general, within the Department of International Studies at the School of Administration and Social Sciences.
A course in Foreign Trade at the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry motivated her to study International Studies. “While looking for a place to study, I came across ORT and decided to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies,” Virginia said.
She considers the university’s infrastructure to be adequate. “When I enrolled, it was the first year of the program; over time, the program was modified and updated,” she noted. She highlighted the academic level and said she has very fond memories of the professors.
In 1999, she began working at the Mercosur Secretariat, where she served as an Assistant in the Regulatory Affairs Department. She currently works at ORT teaching classes and assisting with the program’s Academic Coordination.
Virginia continues her academic studies. “I maintain a professional and academic relationship with ISCSP and will soon participate in a panel in Stockholm (Sweden) on human security and violence from a gender perspective.” Next year, she hopes to begin a PhD in International Relations at ISCSP.
As Virginia sees it, “the program allows you to travel, which is essential for broadening your horizons and complementing what you learn in school.”
“The school offers infrastructure and comfort, along with all the necessary services for pursuing the program. I believe that college is a new stage in which students must be more responsible and know how to solve the problems they encounter,” she concluded.